How can you lower your blood pressure with the right diet?

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death worldwide. But did you know that you can actively contribute to keeping your heart healthy with the right diet? A new study shows: Two diets stand out in particular when it comes to lowering blood pressure - and even in the long term!

The two best diets for your heart

Many people know that a low-salt diet is good for blood pressure. But if you want to do even more for your heart health, there are two diets that have been proven to bring great benefits:

1. The Mediterranean Diet

2. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

Researchers have compared four different dietary strategies in a recent study:

• A low-salt diet

• A low-salt diet + Mediterranean diet

• A low-salt diet + DASH diet

• General dietary tips for healthy blood pressure

The impressive results

After just three months, there were clear differences: the combination of a low-salt diet and the Mediterranean or DASH diet led to the greatest reductions in blood pressure. But not only that - the risk of metabolic syndrome, which is associated with heart disease, strokes and diabetes, also fell dramatically.

• Mediterranean diet: 85% lower risk

• DASH diet: 71% lower risk

• Low-salt diet only: no significant difference

What makes these diets so special?

The Mediterranean diet is based on lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses, nuts, wholegrain products, fish and extra virgin olive oil. It contains moderate amounts of wine, dairy products, poultry and eggs, but very little red meat, sugar and saturated fats.

The DASH diet is similar, but focuses more on low-fat dairy products and less on olive oil or red wine. It also greatly reduces the consumption of highly processed foods and focuses on plant-based foods.

A simple first step

If you don't want to change your entire diet straight away, you can start small:

• Reduce salt (eat less processed food)

• Reduce saturated fats (less red meat and fatty dairy products)

• Consume more potassium (bananas, avocados, leafy vegetables)

Even small changes can have a big impact on your heart health - and all without medication.

Sources:

• Study: "Effects of Sodium Reduction and the Mediterranean and DASH Diets on Blood Pressure and Cardiometabolic Health" (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2024)

• German Society for Cardiology

• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health